Our weekend Movie Events at 'chez o'Connell' are growing, 15 friends last night, tonight and Sunday for what has been deemed a John Grisham Marathon Weekend :-)
Copious reed wine and snacks, of course, good company too.
Copious reed wine and snacks, of course, good company too.
Last weekend was a pairing of cult murder mysteries, a British Italian original, and an American remake, both with their good points.
https://twitter.com/jdpoc/status/1281261212970487811
Last night was 'The Chamber' and 'A Time To Kill'.
'The Chamber', is not one of the best adaptations of a Grisham novel, but it's a good story and a decent cast.
'The Chamber', is not one of the best adaptations of a Grisham novel, but it's a good story and a decent cast.
A very younbg Chris O'Donnell is a rookie lawyer in charge of appealing against his own #KKK grandfather's execution order for the racist murder of a jewish lawyer and two small boys.
O'Donnell is okay, but it's Gene Hackman who steals it as Sam Cayhall, the regret-filled Klansman awaiting execution.
Another plus 'tick' was the very good part of Death Row Guard Sgt. Packer, played by former American Football and Baseball star Bo Jackson. He's surprisingly good. Not all sportsmen can make that transition.
The film has a lot to say about the death penalty, antisemitism, and being born into hatred. It falls flat with O'Donnell, but is worth watching for Gene Hackman.
The far better film was 'A Time To Kill' with Samuel Jackson as a man on trial for killing two rednecks who raped his daughter.
An all-round better cast ; Matthew McConaughey vs Kevin Spacey in the courtroom.
An all-round better cast ; Matthew McConaughey vs Kevin Spacey in the courtroom.
But WHAT a supporting cast !! a jovial womanising attorney Oliver Platt, a rather sweaty Ashley Judd, moody drunk Donald Sutherland AND his redneck Klansman son Kiefer too ...
Add in a morose Patrick McGoohan and a sassy young Sandra Bullock and you've got an ensemble piece to be proud of.
But it's Matthew McConaughey and Samuel Jackson's film all the way.
You may not agree with the message (that taking the law into your own hands is acceptable) and I'm not sure I did, but it's a great piece of work.
You may not agree with the message (that taking the law into your own hands is acceptable) and I'm not sure I did, but it's a great piece of work.
Tonight is 18 guests, more red wine and 'The Firm' followed by 'The Pelican Brief' :-)
Sunday, if we make it that far (i'm sure we will, wine stocks permitting) will be 'The Rainmaker' and the best John Grisham adaptation ever - 'Runaway Jury' :-)
Sunday, if we make it that far (i'm sure we will, wine stocks permitting) will be 'The Rainmaker' and the best John Grisham adaptation ever - 'Runaway Jury' :-)
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